Occidental College vs Mills College

Occidental College and Mills College, two esteemed liberal arts institutions in California, offer distinct educational experiences. Occidental, located in Los Angeles, boasts a higher acceptance rate (37%) compared to Mills' (29%). Both colleges share a commitment to diversity, with Occidental's student body comprising 44% students of color and Mills' at 53%. While Occidental excels in STEM fields, Mills is renowned for its strength in the arts and humanities. With Occidental's graduation rate at 84% and Mills' at 79%, both institutions prioritize student success. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details and discover which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Mills College logo

Mills College

Occidental College logo

Occidental College

Overview

Location Oakland, California Los Angeles, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 62.0% 92.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 79.8% 38.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1378 - 1413 1340 - 1490
ACT range 30 - 31 30 - 33
Students submitting SAT score 5.0% 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 5.0% 22.0%
Total number of applicants 847 6,495
Total number of admissions given out 676 2,484
Admitted students who chose to enroll 39 535
Yield rate 5.8% 21.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $51,108 $77,878
Average net price $25,283 $43,047
Tuition $29,340 $57,830
Room & board $14,369
Room/dormitory: $9,512

Meal plan: $8,090
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $22,278
100.0%
Average amount $29,715
Students receiving federal student loan 47.0%
Average amount $5,389
31.0%
Average amount $4,603
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $29,740
17.0%
Average amount $6,554

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 446
Men 0.4% Women 99.6%
1,964
Men 42.1% Women 57.9%
Graduate students 371
Men 18.3% Women 81.7%
N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 62.5%
International students 1.1% 6.3%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 705 1,650
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A California Washington New York Illinois Mississippi

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Visual & Performing Arts
Students to faculty ratio 8:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 64.0% 82.9%
Dropout rate 36.0% 4.1%
Transferred out N/A 12.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business/Managerial Economics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,948
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $70,496
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,134
  • Year 2: $64,493
  • Year 3: $57,979
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,320
  • Year 2: $56,579
  • Year 3: $56,033
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $49,646
  • Year 3: $52,756
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,658
  • Year 3: $23,920
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,216
  • Year 2: $24,808
  • Year 3: $23,861
Music (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $22,841
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,229
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: N/A
Literature (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,533
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,544
  • Year 2: $55,078
  • Year 3: $63,231
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,360
  • Year 2: $37,779
  • Year 3: $49,843
International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,329
  • Year 2: $36,132
  • Year 3: $45,083
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,948
  • Year 2: $37,208
  • Year 3: $43,488
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $33,877
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,967
  • Year 3: $31,152
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,035
  • Year 2: $26,933
  • Year 3: $31,095
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,916
  • Year 2: $30,047
  • Year 3: $30,729
Area Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,793
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: N/A

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